Back wheel does not turn !

john_letour said:

Well, this may be very stupid, but...
I was given this used 24 speed GT Arrowhead bike without a manual, and...

I try pedalling but even though the pedals turn and the chain moves, the back wheel doesn't move... I have no idea how these modern bikes work - I do not know if this is some kind of neutral - I did shift my way through all the speeds and I did try every button on that bike - nothing...

I would really appreciate some input !
Thanks !

If the chain and cassette are turning, but the wheel isn't turning, at the very least you need a new freehub body ($US20 and up, plus labor).

Depending upon the condition of the rear hub and wheel, you might justify a complete rear wheel, or even a whole new wheelset ($US45 and up, plus labor).

The prices above are just estimates.

If you're a beginner and need more information, thoroughly check out these two sites:
sheldonbrown.comindex.htmlOpen ↗
parktool.comrepairOpen ↗

hes right about the hub bit. same happend to me couple of weeks ago and needed a new hub.cranks would turn chain would and cassette would but wheel wouldnt budge.like if you were peddeling without a chain on. dont know the price as my misses payed for it and thought it be better if she didnt tell me.lol. 🙄

This may well be a case of the grease in the freehub having gotten so hard that it is preventing the spring loaded pawls from engaging the ratchet ring and providing drive. Put some (a bunch) 30weight motor oil in the freehub and spin it around for a while. Let it sit overnight on it's side over a rag to prevent the mess of oil that seaps out. The see if that frees up the pawls and you get drive. You have nothing to lose.

Thanks for all your help !

@p38lightning - By the way is there an opening where I need to pour the oil in the freehub?

Also - where do you usually buy parts - online ? are there any merchants/sites you recommend ?

Thanks again.

john

1. no there is no oil hole. Try the seam between the sprockets and spokes where the aluminum hub ends and the black steel freehub begins but clean the area first. Start with WD40 or a solvent just to see if it frees it up, then if it does, go back and lube it with some oil.

2. If this is your problem then the wheel bearings, steering, and pedal bearings may need a repack because the grease in there may be shot too.

john_letour said:

Thanks for all your help !

@p38lightning - By the way is there an opening where I need to pour the oil in the freehub?

Also - where do you usually buy parts - online ? are there any merchants/sites you recommend ?

Thanks again.

john

Ok, assuming this is a shimano hub (pretty safe assumption) you're gonna need some cone wrenches, probably 15 and 17 mm as well as a 10 mm allen wrench to service the hub. (this assumes that you've already removed the cassette, for which you need a lockring tool and chainwhip. technically can be done without the chainwhip, but not for the faint of heart.)

Bust the axle apart. Do not lose your bearings. Odds are that there are 9 on each side. Insert the giant allen wrench into the whole left by the axle of the drive side. (The side where the gears were) Once it falls into place, rotate counter clockwise as with any bolt and remove the freehub body. On the inside of the freehub body, there is likely to be a small seal. Remove it carefully. You do not want to damage it. This gives you access to the bearings of the freehub. Spray to your hearts content with whatever solvent you like. Personally, I prefer carburetor cleaner, it eats right through whatever you've got and dries quickly. Spray it some more just for good measure, no sense in doing this twice. Let the thing dry. Longer than you think. Lube with basic Teflon type oil. (Tri-Flow here in the states) Work the bearings manually. Let sit for a while, like half an hour. Chances are good that there was still some solvent in there, and you should lube it again. By this point, the rest of your wheel should be edibly clean and ready to reassemble. Do so. If you need further instruction, ask or check out the Park Tool website.

If you don't already have the tools, they won't cost you much more than the shop charges you for this repair, and it's way more fun.

Good luck,
Dave

It's possible the freehub is just broken. They are cheap and readily available online though.

Though not mandatory, it may be a good idea to pitch the old balls and put in new ones.

P. S. it's just possible you have a freewheel. There were a few 8-speed ones made. If the lockring holding the rear sprockets on turns with the sprockets, the previously given instructions apply. If the lockring turns with the hub and the sprockets can be rotated independent of the lockring at their end, it's a freewheel. Good news: easy to replace. Bad news: you will never get any axle life out of the bike unless you weigh 125 lbs or less.

P.P.S. if the cassette or freewheel has 8 sprockets it's called an 8-speed regardless of whether the bike as a whole has 24.